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"That day I wouldn't have called the Queen my cousin," declared our new

acquaintance enthusiastically

At that time the Marine Board examinations took place at the St

Katherine's Dock House on Tower Hill, and he informed us that he had a

special affection for the view of that historic locality, with the

Gardens to the left, the front of the Mint to the right, the miserable

tumble-down little houses farther away, a cabstand, boot-blacks squatting

on the edge of the pave with an

air of superiority at the doors of the Black Horse public-house across

the road This was the part of the world, he said, his eyes first took

notice of, on the finest day of his life He had eed from the ed second mate after

the hottest time of his life with Captain R-, the most dreaded of the

three seamanship Examiners who at the time were responsible for the

in the Port of London

"We all ere preparing to pass," he said, "used to shake in our shoes

at the idea of going before him He kept me for an hour and a half in

the torture chah he hated me He kept his eyes

shaded with one of his hands Suddenly he let it drop saying, "You will

do!" Before I realised what hethe blue slip across